Just as Li Mu and Feng Wuhen were recovering their Magic Power and discussing whether to first aid Chen Daojun or Dao Lord Feng, the distant battlefield suddenly saw new developments.
The demise of Xue Qi immediately startled You Yuan and Luo Yan.
The two, by unspoken agreement, simultaneously cast secret techniques to escape.
You Yuan’s form flickered, and black Dragon scales appeared all over his body, accompanied by deep Dragon roars. His body seemed to merge with the dark currents in the Void Realm, transforming into a twisted black shadow. His speed was astonishing, almost crossing tens of thousands of miles in the blink of an eye.
The escape secret technique You Yuan used was a unique racial talent of the Demon Dragon Clan, combined with his Mahayana cultivation, creating an supreme escape technique—Dark Abyss Dragon Shadow Escape. Even other powerful Great Vehicle Dao Lords found it difficult to track his movements.
As for Luo Yan, a Ghost Clan Dao Lord, he used his signature skill—"Ghost Shadow Clone Technique." The entire battlefield was suddenly enveloped in a layer of eerie ghost Qi, and his body instantly split into tens of thousands of ghost shadows. Each ghost shadow had a similar Aura, making it difficult to distinguish the real from the fake. These ghost shadow Clones were not only incredibly fast but also possessed a certain combat power. They attacked, confused, or covered, buying valuable time for Luo Yan’s escape.
"Trying to escape!"
Seeing this, a cold light flashed in Chen Qingxuan’s eyes. He snorted, and his body instantly soared, like a Sword Immortal descending. The Gengjin Dao Sword in his hand flew out, and his entire being merged with the Gengjin Dao Sword. The sword light poured down like the Milky Way, carrying an indomitable sharpness and surging Sword Qi, chasing in the direction You Yuan fled.
Chen Qingxuan, relying on his profound understanding of the Dao of the Sword, forcefully carved out a path of pursuit within the spatial fluctuations left by You Yuan’s "Dark Abyss Dragon Shadow Escape."
On the other side, looking at Luo Yan’s overwhelming ghost shadow Clones, Feng Yi was not to be outdone.
Feng Yi and the Qingyuan Dao Sword transformed into a torrent of green light, cutting through the ghost shadow Clones, and then pursued Luo Yan’s true body, covering tens of thousands of miles in the blink of an eye.
The two Mahayana Sword Cultivators, one using the power of Gengjin to shatter the Void Realm, the other using the spirit of Green Iris to control wind and thunder, each unleashed their unique skills, chasing relentlessly, vowing to exterminate the two Demon Abyss Domain Lords.
Seeing this, Feng Wuhen, from a distance, gestured to Li Mu, then rode the Qinghong Dao Sword and pursued first.
Li Mu quickly put away his Dao Artifact, Myriad Swords Mountain, and his array artifacts, Nine Star Array Plate and Purple Firmament Array Diagram. He then, with the newly recovered Little White, cast the Time-Space Escape Technique and followed closely behind.
This battle, concerning the safety of the Spirit Realm, had reached its most crucial moment.
Li Mu’s figure flickered, leaving behind afterimages in the Void Realm that then dissipated. The next moment, the distance between him and Feng Wuhen rapidly closed, with the two of them, one in front and one behind, their sword light and escape light reflecting each other.
Just as the two were in hot pursuit, a fierce collision of spiritual power suddenly came from ahead. Clearly, Feng Yi had encountered the true body of the Ghost Clan Dao Lord, Luo Yan.
Not long after, when the two arrived at the battlefield, Luo Yan had already consumed a large amount of Origin power, and his Ghost Shadow Clone Technique was faltering. His true body’s Aura was also weak, clearly at the end of its tether.
Feng Yi wielded the Qingyuan Dao Sword, its blade imbued with the power of wind and thunder, accompanied by the 鳴 of heaven and earth, striking at Luo Yan’s vital points without fail.
Luo Yan continuously dodged, avoiding direct combat, and at the same time, he did not hesitate to burn his Soul, casting forbidden techniques, seeking only to escape.
"Myriad Souls Incinerate, Ghost King Devours Spirit, Appear!"
Luo Yan let out a painful roar, his cultivation Aura plummeting. The Ghost Clan Bloodline within him was forcibly awakened, and an ancient and powerful force erupted from his body.
The next moment, the entire Star Domain was enveloped in a thick ghost mist. Countless dark ghost shadows surged out of Luo Yan’s body, quickly condensing into Ghost Kings, tens of thousands of them. Their eyes were blood-red, and they let out shrill screams, even beginning to devour each other. Each Ghost King, after devouring its kind, would expand slightly, and its Aura would surge accordingly.
In the blink of an eye, the tens of thousands of Ghost Kings were reduced to a few thousand, and the surviving Ghost King army had solidified Soul bodies, as vast as small mountains, exuding a terrifying and heart-pounding pressure. They no longer devoured chaotically but seemed to follow some ancient Law, attacking Feng Yi in an organized manner, creating more opportunities for Luo Yan’s escape.
Facing the sudden Ghost King army, Feng Yi’s eyes showed no fear; instead, a more fervent Battle Intent ignited within him, and at the same time, a part of his attention fell on Luo Yan.
Luo Yan had paid a huge price for this moment. His body was so distorted that it almost turned into nothingness, leaving only a blurry ghost shadow. Under the cover of the Ghost King army, he tried to escape again.
How could Feng Yi let him succeed so easily? The Qingyuan Dao Sword trembled slightly, and his entire being transformed into a wisp of wind, reaching Luo Yan in an instant.
"Wind Spirit Sword Domain, Wind Thunder Slash!"
As Feng Yi let out a low roar, Sword Qi surged like a Dragon soaring through the Nine Heavens, carrying destructive power. A Sword Qi imbued with the power of wind and thunder cut through the sky, forcefully carving a path through the Ghost King army and precisely locking onto Luo Yan’s figure.
However, Luo Yan had already sensed it. His body twisted again, retreating into the ghost mist, merging with the surrounding darkness, making it difficult for Feng Yi’s Sword Qi to pinpoint his exact location for a moment.
"Go to hell!"
Before his words finished, Luo Yan’s figure suddenly appeared to Feng Yi’s left. At some unknown point, a dark ghost banner had appeared in his hand, wrapped with wisps of Yin Soul Power, clearly an extremely evil Magic Treasure.
Luo Yan violently waved the ghost banner, and immediately, an endless stream of ghosts surged out from the banner, merging with the Ghost King army, forming an impenetrable black giant net that completely engulfed Feng Yi.
"Wind Spirit Sword Domain, Nine Heavens Thunder Roar!" Feng Yi roared, his sword stance unfolding, transforming into a giant green Phoenix soaring within this black giant net.
The green Phoenix, formed by the Qingyuan Dao Sword, spread its wings thousands of feet wide, its body shimmering with the interplay of wind and thunder. Carrying sharp Sword Qi, it swiftly moved between the ghosts and the Ghost King army. Each beat of its wings was accompanied by deafening thunder and howling wind, obliterating the ghosts it passed.
Feng Yi’s mind was completely one with the Qingyuan Dao Sword, his killing intent reaching an unprecedented height at this moment. Hundreds, thousands, batch after batch, ghosts and Ghost Kings became victims of his sword.
However, Luo Yan had already used this brief chaos to seize the opportunity to cast his most secretive escape technique—"Netherworld Shadow Escape." His body, under the cover of the black giant net, seemed to turn into nothingness, leaving only a faint ripple of ghost Qi as he rapidly fled deeper into the Star Domain.
At a critical juncture, a sharp sword light cut through the sky from the other end of the Star Domain, as shocking as a comet impact.
"Trying to run! Get out here!"
Feng Wuhen’s voice was as cold as ice. Riding the Qinghong Dao Sword, he arrived in an instant, drawing a perfect arc in the Void Realm, crossing thousands of miles and directly cutting off Luo Yan’s escape route.
Feng Wuhen’s sudden appearance made Luo Yan’s heart sink. He was forced to teleport back to his original position.
He had thought that by using the ghost banner and the Ghost King army as cover, combined with the "Netherworld Shadow Escape" technique, he could find a glimmer of hope for survival. He had never expected Feng Wuhen to track him down so quickly.
Facing Feng Wuhen’s chilling Sword Intent, Luo Yan knew he could no longer escape safely, especially since he had consumed a great deal of power in the previous battle, his Origin was almost depleted, and his cultivation was severely damaged.
However, the pride of a Great Ascension Domain Lord and the instinct for survival prevented Luo Yan from giving up. Ghost Qi surged, and he decided to make a final struggle.
Luo Yan decisively glanced at the Myriad Ghost Banner, which had accompanied him in battle for nearly ten thousand years. His hands quickly formed seals, and the Mahayana Ghost Clan’s Magic Power was fully unleashed, injecting a force even more violent than before into it.
"Myriad Ghosts Burn Soul, Bury Immortals!"
Luo Yan’s voice echoed in the vast expanse of heaven and earth, carrying a sense of desperation and tragedy. As his words fell, the hundreds of millions of ghost spirits that had been dormant on the Myriad Ghost Banner were instantly awakened. They wailed or roared, as if sensing their impending fate.
On the surface of the Myriad Ghost Banner, ghost Qi swirled, gradually condensing into a dark vortex. In the center of the vortex, a faint light flickered—that was the unwilling rage and resentment of countless departed Souls. Luo Yan’s eyes were bloodshot; this strike would be his last resort, and his only hope of escape.
"Feng Wuhen, today I will use this Myriad Ghost Banner as a price to make you die a horrible death, your Divine Soul fallen!" Luo Yan roared loudly, injecting all his Magic Power into the Myriad Ghost Banner without reservation at this moment.
The Myriad Ghost Banner could not withstand this immense power and began to emit mournful wails, but then, the wails were replaced by even more violent roars.
"Boom!"
With a heaven-shaking roar, the Myriad Ghost Banner, under Luo Yan’s control, suddenly self-destructed.
In an instant, the heavens and earth changed color, dark clouds gathered, and fierce winds arose. Countless vengeful ghosts broke free from the Myriad Ghost Banner. They were no longer in their previously bound forms but transformed into true entities, carrying monstrous resentment and power, rushing towards Feng Wuhen.
Seeing this, Feng Wuhen’s face changed drastically. He hadn’t expected Luo Yan to be so resolute, willing to self-destruct his Natal Dao Artifact.
Feng Wuhen retreated rapidly, the Qinghong Dao Sword in his hand transforming into tens of thousands of sword shadows, like a pouring galaxy, continuously blocking the overwhelming torrent of ghost shadows.
The power generated by the Myriad Ghost Banner’s self-destruction was beyond imagination. Each ghost shadow contained extremely strong demonic energy. Even a powerful Cultivator like him, Feng Wuhen had to go all out, fearing that they would infiltrate everywhere and invade his Divine Soul, thereby becoming afflicted by a Heart Demon.
Seeing that Feng Wuhen was successfully entangled, Luo Yan breathed a sigh of relief. While grieving for his Natal Dao Artifact, he seized this fleeting opportunity, his figure instantly disappearing from the spot, leaving only a tiny spatial crack as proof of his former existence.
As the spatial crack quickly closed, as if no one had ever escaped, even Feng Wuhen’s keen perception could not pinpoint Luo Yan’s exact location for a moment.
Just as Feng Wuhen and Feng Yi thought Luo Yan had escaped and were venting their frustration on the ghosts, his figure, like a stray dog, returned in terror.
Feng Wuhen was overjoyed, while Feng Yi was astonished.
Luo Yan was being chased by a small figure, with nowhere to go, neither heaven nor earth. That small figure was Li Mu’s Gu worm.
"What is that? Elder Li’s Gu worm? Why is he so afraid of a mere insect?" Feng Yi noticed Feng Wuhen’s expression; he clearly knew the situation and immediately asked with concern.
At this moment, Li Mu’s figure had already appeared and was heading towards them. Feng Yi then suddenly realized that Luo Yan was being chased by his Gu worm with nowhere to hide. However, why would a dignified Great Vehicle Dao Lord fear a mere seventh-order spiritual insect? It was as if he had encountered a natural enemy, and the reason for this perplexed him.
"This Gu worm of Elder Li’s is no ordinary creature. It’s a Soul-devouring butterfly Gu that feeds on Soul bodies. Elder Li refined it into a Gu spirit, and it has now successfully passed the True Spirit Thunder Tribulation, making it extraordinary! As for the specific reason, I’m not entirely sure myself. You’d best ask Elder Li!" Feng Wuhen explained with a smile, then looked in a certain direction.
The next moment, Li Mu’s figure flickered, revealing himself, and then quickly flew to Feng Wuhen and Feng Yi.
"Dao Lord Feng, this unusual insect was something I obtained in my early years. It possesses the ability to devour Souls, but its combat strength is relatively weak. It has been pampered for hundreds of years. Its current effectiveness is related to the fact that the opponent is a Demon Abyss Ghost Clan member. Although he is a Great Vehicle Dao Lord, he just happens to be restrained by Little White," Li Mu explained humbly to Feng Yi with a slight smile.
"Is that so! I think this insect’s abilities are far more than that!" Feng Yi smiled without speaking, his Divine Sense fully focused on the scene. The sight of Little White hunting Luo Yan was utterly ferocious.
A palm-sized Gu worm possessed terrifying Soul body control. Its body was incredibly tough, and its speed was no less than that of high-level demonic birds. Even if the opponent wasn’t a Ghost Clan member or a Soul body, encountering such a peerless fierce insect, escaping would be as difficult as ascending to heaven.
Little White agilely moved through the air, flapping its cicada-wing-like wings, transforming into a stream of light. Accompanied by a fluctuation that made one’s Soul tremble, its unique Soul-devouring Domain spread, causing one’s Divine Soul to waver.
Even though Feng Yi’s cultivation was astonishing and a Mahayana Cultivator’s Divine Soul was permanently solidified, he was still shaken by its Soul-devouring power. Its ferocity was thus evident.
Although Luo Yan was a Great Vehicle Dao Lord with profound cultivation, he appeared so powerless in the face of Little White’s almost unsolvable Soul-devouring ability. He continuously cast escape techniques, trying to shake off this fatal pursuit, but Little White’s speed was always one step ahead of him before he could change position, as if it could foresee and predict his movements.
Luo Yan was chased with nowhere to escape, and at the same time, a large amount of Soul Power surged out of his body, continuously flowing into Little White’s mouth.
At this moment, Little White seemed to be enjoying a game of chase. Its entire body glowed with a vibrant luminescence, and its round, black eyes sparkled with greedy and excited light. It pursued calmly, declaring absolute control over this hunt.
"Elder Li is too modest. Little White so easily forced a Great Vehicle Dao Lord into a desperate situation. How can its strength be understated with just 'pampered'? Not to mention, it can even restrain such an eerie and powerful existence as the Demon Abyss Ghost Clan. Such a wondrous insect is truly rare!" Feng Wuhen said with a chuckle, expressing his heartfelt admiration for Li Mu’s ability to hide his true strength.
Not to mention Little White, just the high-level lightning talismans he used this time were enough to make any Mahayana Cultivator take notice. Li Mu’s cultivation and methods left a deep impression on him.
The three chatted and laughed, watching Little White continuously chase Luo Yan, gradually forcing him into a desperate situation, and finally swallowing him whole. A dignified Great Vehicle Dao Lord ultimately met such a fate, which couldn’t help but make people sigh with emotion.
With Luo Yan’s demise, the tense atmosphere in the air gradually dissipated, replaced by a faint sense of relief.
Little White, on the other hand, let out several satisfied burps, its little belly bulging as if it had eaten too much. It flew into Li Mu’s arms, its head drooping, and its eyes closed, falling into a deep sleep. (End of chapter)
